Equities Analysts Offer Predictions for IP Q4 Earnings

International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research lowered their Q4 2026 earnings estimates for shares of International Paper in a report issued on Monday, August 31st. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the basic materials company will post earnings per share of $0.78 for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $0.79. Zacks Research currently has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for International Paper’s current full-year earnings is $1.34 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for International Paper’s Q2 2028 earnings at $0.79 EPS.

IP has been the topic of several other reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on International Paper from $42.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised International Paper from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their price target for the company from $51.00 to $61.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on International Paper from $40.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on International Paper from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised International Paper from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, International Paper has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $48.75.

International Paper Price Performance

Shares of International Paper stock opened at $36.36 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.58 and a beta of 0.93. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $39.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.58. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. International Paper has a 1-year low of $29.26 and a 1-year high of $50.25.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.04) by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $6 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.19 billion. International Paper had a negative net margin of 14.20% and a negative return on equity of 1.09%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.20 EPS.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Paper

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Man Group plc bought a new stake in International Paper during the 2nd quarter worth about $24,640,000. DNB Asset Management AS lifted its position in International Paper by 144.2% during the 4th quarter. DNB Asset Management AS now owns 258,920 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $10,199,000 after purchasing an additional 152,907 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. boosted its stake in shares of International Paper by 29.6% in the 1st quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 137,856 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $4,921,000 after purchasing an additional 31,518 shares during the last quarter. Bellwether Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of International Paper in the 1st quarter valued at about $2,615,000. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of International Paper during the 4th quarter worth approximately $250,093,000. Institutional investors own 81.95% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at International Paper

In related news, CAO Holly G. Goughnour sold 3,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.96, for a total value of $146,860.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 34,248 shares in the company, valued at $1,437,046.08. The trade was a 9.27% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP William Thomas Hamic sold 24,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.20, for a total value of $1,009,400.00. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 106,952 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,406,422.40. This represents a 18.64% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.21% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

International Paper Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $0.4625 per share. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. International Paper’s dividend payout ratio is presently -28.37%.

More International Paper News

Here are the key news stories impacting International Paper this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised several longer-term forecasts. Zacks Research increased its FY2027 EPS estimate to $2.81 from $2.75 and its FY2028 estimate to $3.52 from $3.47. Estimates for Q1 2027, Q3 2027, Q4 2027 and Q1 2028 were also lifted. These revisions could support the stock by signaling improved profitability expectations beyond the current year, although Zacks maintained a “Hold” rating.
• Positive Sentiment: Insider buying provides a modest confidence signal. Recent activity included purchases by executives Anders Gustafsson and Scott Tozier totaling more than $1.3 million, compared with one executive sale. Insider activity is not a fundamental catalyst by itself, but the net buying may be viewed favorably by some investors. International Paper Falls 3.3% as Risk-Off Trading Adds to Post-Earnings Caution
• Neutral Sentiment: Forest-restoration grants are unlikely to materially affect IP’s earnings. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and partners announced nearly $5 million in grants for habitat restoration in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. The announcement may align with International Paper’s sustainability interests, but no direct financial benefit or new company commitment was disclosed. NFWF and Partners Announce $5 Million in Grants
• Neutral Sentiment: A peer comparison offers limited immediate impact. A report comparing Mayr-Melnhof Karton and International Paper provides industry context, but the available headline does not identify a new development affecting IP’s valuation. Head to Head Comparison: Mayr-Melnhof Karton and International Paper
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term earnings estimates were trimmed. Zacks reduced its Q3 2026 EPS forecast to $0.32 from $0.34 and FY2026 EPS to $1.29 from $1.32. It also lowered its Q4 2026 forecast to $0.78 from $0.79, reinforcing concerns about limited earnings momentum in the near term.
• Negative Sentiment: Operating weakness and risk-off trading are weighing on sentiment. International Paper’s second-quarter sales declined year over year, primarily because of lower volumes, while adjusted operating earnings were only $0.04 per share and continuing operations posted a $0.02 diluted loss. Broader market risk aversion, geopolitical concerns and higher oil prices added pressure to cyclical materials stocks. International Paper Falls as Risk-Off Trading Adds to Post-Earnings Caution

About International Paper

International Paper is a global producer of renewable fiber-based products, focused primarily on pulp, paper, and packaging. The company manufactures containerboard and corrugated packaging used for shipping and retail display, as well as a range of specialty papers and pulp products that serve industrial, consumer goods, and e-commerce customers. Its product portfolio is oriented toward large-scale packaging solutions, tissue and paper grades, and raw pulp for a variety of manufacturing uses.

Founded in 1898, International Paper is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and is one of the largest and longest-established companies in the forest products sector.